


Birthday Boys

by Kaoru_chibimaster



Series: Teenagers [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Birthday, Family, Fluff, Friendship, Friendship/Love, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Teenagers, cuteness
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-30
Updated: 2017-10-25
Packaged: 2018-12-21 18:21:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11949987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaoru_chibimaster/pseuds/Kaoru_chibimaster
Summary: AKA two special days for two special dorks.





	1. Noctis

**Author's Note:**

> First chapter is Noct and then Prompto's will come in October as chapter 2.

On August 30th, the year of 736, His Royal Highness, Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum CXIV was born to King Regis and Queen Aulea.

Sixteen years later, said prince stood in a corner of one of the citadel ballrooms, trying his damnest to remain invisible to all of his guests. Except…it was his party and he was the _prince_ , so of course everyone found him anyway. He tried very, very hard not to roll his eyes as yet another small group of nobles walked up to his hidey-hole and congratulated him on getting one year closer to wrinkles and white hair. And he was sure he would eventually be gunning towards that goal faster than most, considering the fact that his forty-six year old father looked twenty years older than he actually was.

Speaking of…

Noctis excused himself from the gaggle of guests surrounding and cooing at him. He’d had to wiggle his way through the crowd to reach the dais where his father stood, watching over the crowd regally as they enjoyed themselves. Good for them. At least they were getting something out of this. Noctis, personally, just wanted to know what his father wanted to see him for so he could deal with it and then skedaddle. Probably go back to his apartment and invite Prompto over for snacks and a movie marathon.

Climbing the staircase, he shuffled next to his father, watching the king out of the corner of his eye as he waited for acknowledgement. King Regis continued to look out over the guests silently for a moment, his head held high and kept straight forward. Appearances.

“Grown tired of your own party already?” he finally asked, though he hadn’t turned to face his son. Noctis, standing right next to him, didn’t miss the humor in his eyes however, despite his voice being neutral and well controlled.

“Do you even have to ask?” Noctis grinned slightly before fixing his own expression into something more diplomatic. He knew how to play the game as well, after all. The crowd would see a prince speaking with his king, not a son speaking with his father. It was an uncomfortable situation alleviated only by Regis’ willingness to discreetly indulge his son.

“I suppose I don’t. After all, you hadn’t even shown up for your last party.” Again, Regis remained composed. But his voice expressed a mixture of fondness and exasperation.

And true, Noctis had skipped last year’s party. He couldn’t quite hide his sheepish expression at that. He hadn’t actually meant to, after all despite how upset he might’ve felt with…well everything, especially after learning that his father needed a cane for the first time from a damn television screen, he knew better than to skip out on large events and particularly important political affairs. Noctis’ birthday wasn’t just his own thing. He was a public figure and his life belonged to Lucis from the moment he was born, so purposefully not showing up to his own birthday party would’ve been viewed as insulting. But he’d honestly lost track of himself, enjoying the freedom of living outside of the citadel and reveling in the amount of privacy that came with living in a building that didn’t double as a workplace. He hadn’t put a grain of thought towards his own birthday, let alone the accompanying party. Though, he didn’t exactly regret missing it either. He never enjoyed his extravagant birthdays, always being lavished with attention he didn’t want from people he didn’t know, who probably wouldn’t have paid him any mind were it not for the fact that he was the second most powerful person in the kingdom. And while he was used to the excess of large balls and stuffy suits, he could never quite get behind the ass kissing. It already made his skin crawl that multiple high standing members of society were pushing their daughters at him, slinging words like ‘marriage’ and ‘future’ around.

It was no wonder he’d long since grown tired of his own party.

“Well, no matter,” Regis continued. “I assume you’re up here because of what I wanted to speak with you about?”

Noctis started to shrug, his typical flippant response that he knew irritated his father even at the best of times and yet still couldn’t kick the habit of, before dropping his shoulders back into a proper position. No need to piss his father off, even accidentally, over what was likely a non-issue. Instead he nodded.

“Yeah, sure.”

Regis chuckled. Finally, he turned away from the crowd and waved Noctis along, stepping away from the dais and towards a door leading into a separate hallway. Clarus, who had been just behind Regis, continued to stand at attention, not even glancing at the two as they slipped away. Whatever this was, he seemed to know about it. Noctis wondered vaguely if he was in for a surprise. Did Ignis and Gladiolus know about it as well?

When Regis led them both out into the main hall and towards the elevator, Noctis raised an eyebrow. They really were leaving the party. That raised a few alarms. Noctis hoped he wasn’t in trouble, though he wasn’t even sure what he would be in trouble for. He’d been doing great in school, he’d had a hand in a number of volunteer services around the city, he hadn’t gotten involved in drugs or alcohol, and hell he’d even eaten his vegetables when Ignis made him dinner, though he’d admit he still complained loudly about it. He doubted his dad knew about his relationship with Prompto, and even if he did Noctis doubted his father would be all that up in arms about it. Regis was an open-minded person and while he might be a bit apprehensive considering that Noctis did eventually need to provide an heir to the throne, he wouldn’t punish Noctis for dating. At least, Noctis hoped he wouldn’t…

“There’s no need for the scared looks, Noctis, you’re not in trouble,” Regis stated rather suddenly as they stood in the elevator. Noctis blinked at him, surprised, before fixing his expression back into something not so open. He’d have to work on that more, considering the ease with which his father read him.

“You…gonna tell me what this is about?” Noctis asked tentatively. Regis grinned slightly.

“That would ruin the surprise. Be patient, son. You’ll see soon enough.”

Noctis kept quiet then, waiting silently as the elevator brought them up to the floors housing their personal quarters. He raised an eyebrow as his father stepped out of the elevator and headed in the direction of the king’s room, not even checking behind to make sure Noctis was following him. Noctis did so tentatively, unsure of what he should be expecting but trusting his father all the same. When the doors were unlocked, the king let himself inside, holding out a finger for Noctis to wait. The prince stood awkwardly in the doorway, a hand clutching his other arm as he waited. Finally, his father beckoned him inside.

“When I was sixteen, my father held this grand event,” he told Noctis. “In order to present to me my own sword. As was tradition of course. There were nobles lining the halls, soldiers bowing and reporters recording the event to broadcast to the rest of Lucis.”

He sent Noctis an amused look then. “It was mortifying. I, a sixteen year old boy, expected to spend my birthday loafing around with Clarus and Weskham, Cor being too young at the time to join us, and so the idea of instead spending it being held on a pedestal while my own father made the biggest deal he possibly could over giving me a sword was absolutely ridiculous. Unfortunately, as royalty our duties come before our wants and desires. However…”

Noctis blinked in surprise as a sword was pulled from the box on his father’s desk, gleaming silver with the hilt fitted with some sort of contraption. It looked almost like…an engine? On a blade? He looked back to his father in question.

“Of course yours is a lot more modernized compared to mine, but it’s a good weapon. Custom made and fitted with a contraption that, in conjunction with your power, can suck the energy out of its target. The sort of sword worth standing on ceremony for. But I know that’s the last thing you want, Noctis. So, just this once, we can keep this sort of gift private,” Regis grinned, _grinned_ of all things, before handing the sword to his son. Noctis stared down at it in awe before slowly looking back up at his father. He set the sword down then, Regis watching him quizzically, before he stepped forward, hesitating a moment as he held out his arms. Regis caught on to what he wanted quickly, smiling as he pulled his son into a hug.

“Thanks Dad,” Noctis mumbled. He was grateful for the gift, certainly. It was a beautiful sword and he was proud to call it his own. He certainly planned on getting his mileage out of it at some point. But more than anything, he was grateful his father had considered so much in the act of giving. It’s true, Noctis would have been just as mortified to have to stand on ceremony to receive a simple birthday present, and he was glad that Regis realized this and made the gift personal.

His father only patted his head in response as he held him. Finally Noctis pulled out of his hold, picking up the sword again and placing it in his arsenal. The first sword to permanently find a place there. The first thing in general, honestly. He smiled at his father then, who easily smiled back, and they both left the room to rejoin the party.

-o-o-o-o-

The ceremony over and Noctis feeling more exhausted then anything, he trudged back into his apartment, his jacket already half shucked off as his tie hung loose around his shoulders. He immediately tossed both items over to his couch, not bothering to look at it as he had turned to close the door. He froze when he heard a slight grumble, however.

“Jeez, you don’t have to throw things at me…”

Noctis turned then, wide eyed, as he spotted Prompto lounged on his couch, tapping away at his phone. He seemed to be trying to be nonchalant, but he was bouncing his foot in the air in his typical nervous habit. He only looked up as he plucked the tie off of his head, the jacket having barely missed him, before grinning at Noctis.

“Happy birthday buddy!” he said. Noctis smiled, walking over to sit down beside Prompto’s head. He poked lightly at him, smiling wider when Prompto chuckled.

“How’d you even get in here, Couch Stealer?”

“Hey! The couch is still here,” Prompto pouted playfully. Though with the way he was laid out over it, he might as well have taken over it completely. “And anyway, the receptionist let me in. Apparently I’m over here so much that she recognized me immediately.”

Noctis decided not to point out that the “receptionist” was actually crownsguard and he’d given Prompto clearance to enter his apartment without his accompaniment ages ago. But he’d neglected to even tell Prompto he had such clearance…because he kept forgetting, so Noctis was reasonably surprised that Prompto even knew he _could_ get in. Well…he knew now.

Also, Prompto was over Noct’s apartment so much that _everyone_ knew who he was.

“Right…” Noctis said. “So are we heading out today? Wanna hang at the arcade?”

“It’s your birthday and you just wanna hang at the arcade?” Prompto snorted.

“It’s not that big a deal,” Noctis shrugged. Prompto rolled his eyes.

“Not a big enough deal to hold a ball for? Or report on the news so people can scream about the day you were born from the streets?”

Noctis scoffed, shoving lightly at the blond.

“Okay then, so big deal made. It’s not like _we_ have to go through all that. I’m cool with just hanging out.”

Prompto chewed his lip then, the nervous foot bouncing back.

“Or…hanging in? Maybe?”

Noctis raised an eyebrow at the behavior.

“Uh, sure.” His eyes drifted over to the bouncing foot and then slowly back up to Prompto’s face. He was staring at Noctis, his lip still caught under his teeth.

“…You alright?”

“Uh, yeah! I just…”

Prompto sat up, righting himself until he sat side by side with Noctis, and leaning over to rest his arms on his knees.

“I, uh…I didn’t know what to get you, y’know? I mean, what do you buy a prince for his birthday?” he laughed nervously.

“I already told you you don’t have to get me anything.”

“I know, I know… It’s just… That’s why I thought…”

Noctis leaned in closer, waiting for Prompto to continue.

“I thought…you might just want me for your present?”

Noctis’ eyebrows shot up then, unsure exactly what to make of that. It sounded like… But there was no way. They hadn’t even reached that base yet. Prompto seemed to pick up where his thought process was going fairly quickly however, immediately shaking his head.

“No no no no no! I didn’t mean _that_ way. Unless…you want me to mean it that way? I don’t know! That wasn’t what I was thinking though! I just meant maybe you’d want to spend the rest of the day with me! By ourselves, that is.”

Prompto placed his face in his hands then, mumbling “oh my gods” to himself as his entire being seemed to blush red. Noctis couldn’t deny the heat that filled his own cheeks, not having expected Prompto’s words. Once he got what the other boy meant, however…

“I…if that’s all it is, then yeah. That’s perfectly fine with me. So you just wanna spend today indoors, huh?”

“I know it’s a crappy present, but…”

“Nuh-uh, stop with that.” Noctis pulled Prompto’s hands away from his red face, looking him straight in the eyes. “Don’t ever think I wouldn’t want to spend time with you, especially in place of some birthday present. I don’t care about that.”

A small smile found its way onto Prompto’s face then, and he nodded.

“And, uh,” Noctis added awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head. “We don’t have to be together… _that_ way until we’re both ready, alright? It doesn’t have to be a birthday thing…”

Both of them flushed once again, deciding simultaneously that _that_ was a topic they’d approach when they were both more comfortable with the idea.

“So…what’dyou wanna do?” Noctis asked, happy to move on to a different topic. Prompto only shrugged.

“Wanna make out on your couch?”

Noctis snorted. “ _Wow_ , Prompto,” he laughed. Prompto grinned, almost proudly.

“It’s an idea, at least! Or we could watch a movie in your room.”

And end up making out on Noctis’ bed instead. Not that he’d mind if the night went in that direction. Nodding in agreement, he stood from the couch, Prompto just behind him, and stretched his arms.

“What movie are you thinking of?” he asked.

“Hmm… Something with action. Ivalice Alliance?” Prompto suggested.

“Sure. Which one?” Noctis asked, moving over to his movie rack to find the correct dvd.

“The first one. All my love for Princess Ashe.”

Noctis peeked over at Prompto, jokingly disgruntled. Prompto only laughed.

“Okay, okay. She has most of my love, the rest of it is for you.”

Rolling his eyes, Noctis turned back to the dvd rack before Prompto grabbed his arm and pulled him back up. Noctis turned, questioning, before he was met with a pair of lips to his own.

“There. No more grumpy prince,” Prompto said, his face still close.

“Ha ha.” Though Noctis wasn’t really grumpy, but he’d play the part if it meant more kisses.

“Ya know…” Prompto started. Noctis raised an eyebrow as one of the blond’s arms slowly circled around him, as if he was trying to be stealthy. “I should also mention that I still owe you sixteen birthday pinches.”

He leaned in again to press their mouths together as his hand finally reached its destination…and landed a firm pinch right on Noctis’ left butt cheek. Noctis pulled away slightly, not sure whether to laugh or complain.

“That’s one!” Prompto chirped, pulling away from the prince and running into his bedroom. Noctis settled for laughing then as he grabbed the movie and followed his excitable boyfriend at a more leisurely pace.

After all, it wasn’t like Prompto had anywhere to escape to.


	2. Prompto

Prompto Argentum didn’t know when he was actually born. His parents told him his birthday was October 25th, but he knew truly that that was the day he had been brought to their household. He was a newborn at the time, or so he was told, so he doubted he was too far off from his actual birthday, but it was still something he wondered about from time to time. Who were his real parents and why was he taken from Niflheim and tossed to a family in Lucis that he rarely ever saw? When was he really born?

Sighing, Prompto kicked the covers off of himself and heaved himself out of bed. It was still relatively early, though he was lucky enough for his birthday to fall on a weekend. Or at least he told himself that. He really didn’t have anything planned other than sitting around the house, bored out of his mind. He might go to the corner store and buy an ice cream cake so he could eat a few slices and then the rest would sit in the freezer and eventually go bad from being ignored. Or maybe he ought to get a cupcake instead. It wouldn’t last nearly as long and he wouldn’t feel nearly as guilty about spending money on it.

He wished he could share it with someone, but unfortunately Noct’s royal duties didn’t halt for some plebe’s birthday and Prompto didn’t really have any other friends. Sure he had acquaintances from track team and his class groups, but none of them were the type of people he’d have over at his house or hang out with at the arcade. That sort of personal time was reserved for one person and one person only, and that one person couldn’t drag his princely butt out of whatever important meeting was currently deciding the future fate of Lucis, no matter how much Prompto wanted him to. Not that Prompto would complain…much. After all, it wasn’t anyone’s fault Noctis was born as a prince, and with being a prince came princely responsibilities.

Still…

It’d be nice to have someone to spend the day with.

Sighing, Prompto made a beeline for the bathroom. He’d still freshen up, take care of his bodily needs, and get dressed for the day, even if he had nothing to do. He showered quickly and threw on a tank top and a pair of jeans, with no intentions to go outside and brave the cold weather but at the same time no intentions to overheat in the house. Not with the heat turned up so high. He’d change the dial, but more than likely that would earn him a chewing out from his dad who seemed to like it when the house felt like a sauna. And his mom never complained so he never really had anyone to side with him when he did. So tank top and jeans it was. And straight to the tv in the livingroom where he could spend his birthday mindlessly ingesting whatever was on. He grabbed the remote and started flipping through channels.

Food channel, sports, infomercials, sports again, more infomercials, informercials again, and more informercials, cartoons, some history documentary, _more_ infomercials…ah. There was an anime movie on, so he’d probably watch that until it went off. Prompto sighed and resigned himself to a day of television and snacks, and possibly a run to the corner store later when he inevitably started feeling too antsy to stay still. Which, knowing him, wouldn’t take long.

He held out for a small while, at least. The movie was one he recognized, not the best considering the series it came from, but not the worst either. He’d at least tolerate watching it and then complain about it later on some online forum. For now it was slowly devolving into background noise as he stood from the couch and ambled over to the kitchen, intent on stuffing his face with something. It was his birthday! He could treat himself!

He’d run it off later that night or something.

Curiously, he found a note left for him on the refrigerator when he reached to grab the handle. Instead he plucked the note off, bringing it closer to his face to see it more clearly. He only lamented not putting his contacts in momentarily before the contents of the note registered to him.

‘Happy Birthday, Prompto. Congrats on turning 18!’

…He was turning sixteen.

Ah well, at least there was a note this time. Most of the time his parents didn’t even bother to remember his birthdays. No wonder they always felt like any other day.

Even more surprising than that, however, was the small wrapped gift he found in the refrigerator. ‘From Mom and Dad’, the note said. Really, this day was starting to turn loopy and he’d just barely started it. To have them acknowledge his birthday at all was an anomaly. To have them give him something was practically a miracle. With raised eyebrows, he pulled the small gift from the rack, holding it at a distance as he examined it as if something was going to pop out of it. When nothing did, he unwrapped it slowly. He didn’t even bother to rip the paper, too dumbfounded to tear into the gift with any amount of enthusiasm.

Inside, now devoid of wrapping and ribbons, sat a small vanilla cupcake with strawberry icing. Prompto eyed it in astonishment. This was…

The last time he received a gift from his parents was ten years prior for Christmas. After that they gave him money on occasion, sometimes close enough to big events that he might be made to believe he was being gifted, but for the most part, he fended for himself off of his meager allowance and part time job. They bought him food and clothes because they were obligated to as his caretakers. Gifts were too much effort and money to put towards a child they hadn’t even asked for in the first place. A child with a barcode on his wrist…

Well. At least Prompto didn’t have to worry about having a snack. Setting the cupcake aside, he instead reached for the milk before pulling a box of cereal and a bowl out of the cupboard. He figured he might as well _attempt_ a decent breakfast. He’d save the cupcake for a little later.

He returned to his movie with a resigned sort of laziness, slumping onto his couch cushions in a manner one might use to describe the prince of Lucis’ existence. Smiling to himself, Prompto wondered just how Noct might react to the anime movie he was watching. They were both fans of the series after all. He’d probably nitpick the hell out of it, even if he’d still end up glued to the screen. It was an adorable image when Prompto thought of it.

His eyes started to droop as he let his thoughts and the sound of his tv lull him to sleep. It was still morning… No harm done…

-o-

He jumped awake to the sound of knocking.

Bleary eyed, Prompto blinked away the sleep in his eyes as he sat up. His gaze trailed over the window, noting the higher angle at which the sunlight filtered in through the curtains, before finally settling on the clock propped on the wall.

11:13

He’d slept through the whole morning. Not that it was too amazing a feat as he was pretty sure he didn’t get out of bed until ten or so, but that was still pretty glaring for someone who started his day early and couldn’t finish it again until the sun started to set. Going back to sleep after waking up was pretty difficult for him –no wonder he used to hate nap time so much– so to wake up finding that he’d slept off an entire half hour was…odd.

Never mind that, however, as his door received yet another series of knocks. Shifting out of his seat, he stretched his arms over his head and searched for his hoodie.

“Hang on for a moment!” he shouted at the door before walking back into his room, figuring the hoodie would likely be in there.

Which it was. Buried under a pile of clothing, thankfully clean as he knew he’d done the week’s laundry and just hadn’t bothered to put anything away after pulling them out of the dryer. Obnoxiously red and decorated with pins he’d gotten from past conventions, Prompto quickly slipped it on before running back to the front door, cursing a bit at the other person’s impatience as they continued to knock.

“Alright already,” he said as he unlocked and opened the door. “I’m here, what is—”

Prompto cut himself off as he realized just who it was standing in his door way. The prince of Lucis himself. The recently escaped prince judging from his ridiculously nice clothes and well-groomed hair. Oddly enough, he seemed overly serious as he stood in Prompto’s doorway, a rather severe set to his features as he held out his hand.

“Come with me if you want to live.”

Prompto snorted.

“Bro, _that_ was the best movie reference you could come up with?”

A smile cracked Noct’s unusually severe façade. “Am I supposed to sweep you off your feet with a song then?”

“Hell yeah, man. Aren’t you supposed to serenade me on a magic carpet ride like all the other princes do?” Prompto asked, a wide grin splitting his face as well. Noctis rolled his eyes, a fond look in them.

“You sure you want to hear that?”

“Ha, now that you mention it…” Prompto laughed. Not that there was anything wrong with Noctis’ singing voice, far from it, but Prompto knew he’d botch any song he sang pretty obnoxiously because he was clearly a mature person. Definitely. “Seriously though, how’d you escape?”

“Simple. I told my dad it was your birthday and he let me go,” Noctis shrugged.

Prompto watched him uncertainly. “That was it?”

“That was it. Granted, he’s probably just glad I finally have a friend to celebrate a birthday with that wasn’t also hired to nanny me, but yeah. He just let me go.”

Prompto looked over Noctis’ appearance again. Pressed shirt, pressed pants, a tie and vest, and likely the jacket was discarded somewhere. All black. He couldn’t have been planning on going out like this. It was way too conspicuous and he hated the attention that came with visibly going out dressed like a prince. So what was up there?

“What, did you forget to change?” he asked. Curiously, Noctis’ cheeks tinted pink as he ducked his head a bit.

“…I might have gotten a little too excited at the thought of coming here…”

“ _Awwww!_ ”

“Shut up!”

Despite the teasing, Prompto could feel his own face heating up. It was still beyond him that Noctis would even _talk_ to him, let alone date him. So little things like that, like being excited to see Prompto, really brightened his day. Grinning in delight, he leaned forward to place a peck on Noctis’ cheek, earning a deeper flush of red that left Prompto feeling giddy.

“So, I’m guessing my prince in shining armor is supposed to be rescuing me from supreme boredom?” he asked, leaning against the door frame.

“You know the phrase is ‘knight in shining armor’ right?”

“I don’t know what kind of knight gets knocked on his ass by his own squire every weekend.”

“Well good thing Gladio’s not my squire,” Noctis pointed out. He reached out and patted Prompto on the arm, coaxing him along.

“C’mon,” he continued. “We’re going out.”

Prompto’s amused grin settled into a more subtle, fond smile.

“I told you, you don’t have to do anything for my birthday.”

“I know. You made me pinky swear.”

“And yet you’re dragging me out of my house to…? Let me guess, ‘do something for my birthday’?”

“Yup. Pinky swear broken.”

“ _Dude_.”

Smirking at Prompto’s reaction, Noctis walked behind him, walking behind Prompto to place his hands on his shoulders and then push him out of the door. Prompto went along easily, not willing to put up a fight against whatever Noctis had planned.

“Nothing extravagant at least?” Prompto tried as they walked. He really hadn’t wanted anything. No new clothes, no new cameras, no new tech in general, no new anything. He didn’t want anything from Noct that hadn’t already been offered to him the moment they started dating. Not that he’d be rude enough to turn down a gift, but he was also pretty uncomfortable with being offered expensive things knowing full well he could never repay that sort of thing. He also knew full well that this sort of treatment came with dating a freaking _prince_ , but he’d made it clear he had no intention of being a gold digger. Noctis had made a fuss, complained that he wanted to give Prompto nice things and that it was his choice to do so and that didn’t make Prompto a gold digger, but as someone who had grown up earning everything he had, it just didn’t feel right to be given without equally giving back. And honestly, he still felt insecure about how he spent Noct’s birthday. He’d run through a number of things he could take extra shifts to afford before realizing that Noct wouldn’t think twice about tossing his pocket change at these same things. The only thing he couldn’t buy was time with Prompto, right? So that was an alright birthday gift…right?

Gods that was depressing to think about. The only thing Prompto had to offer Noctis was himself. And who would want that…

“You’re overthinking things.”

Prompto was quickly pulled out of his thoughts at Noct’s voice. He’d realized that they’d stopped walking, instead standing in front of one of the crownsguard cars, the one Noctis had been learning to drive in, as the driver side door was open and waiting.

“How do you figure?” Prompto asked, his voice a bit quieter with the weight of his thoughts.

“You didn’t even respond to my dumb joke for one—”

“What dumb joke?”

“Nope. Not telling you now.”

“No~oct!”

“Nope. My lips are sealed.”

“Noct!”

“Prompto!”

Prompto turned slightly to send his boyfriend an exaggerated pout. Noctis returned the expression, poking his bottom lip out and coaxing a half-annoyed, half-amused frown out of the blond.

“Seriously Prompto, I’m not trying to make you uncomfortable. I know you didn’t want something extravagant, so that’s not what we’re doing,” Noctis sighed, motioning for Prompto to get in the car on the other side. Deciding not to argue, he only nodded and then went to do exactly that, hopping into the passenger’s seat and rolling the window down. Noctis raised an eyebrow at him as he got into the driver’s seat.

“You realize how cold it is, right?”

“I need an escape route in case you crash into a building. Again.”

Noctis nudged Prompto, grinning sheepishly. “It wasn’t a fucking building.”

“Fine. Ice cream shack,” Prompto smiled knowingly.

“No one was in it,” was Noctis’ only response as he pulled away from the curb, a little too fast as usual but it wasn’t like Prompto would have done any better. And he wouldn’t have really been allowed to try with just a permit anyway.

“Gotcha, Noct. Just try not to drive us off a cliff, okay?” Prompto joked.

“I’m gonna find the one fucking cliff in Insomnia and drive us straight into a ravine.”

“Oh gods, my boyfriend’s a maniac,” Prompto gasped dramatically, clutching at his chest and earning an eyeroll from Noct.

“Only on the good days,” he replied. They continued ribbing each other lightly as they drove, though things started looking less and less familiar the farther Noctis went. He was itching to ask where they were going and yet wasn’t so keen on ruining the surprise (if he could even get Noct to talk in the first place). It was strange though, leaving the familiarity of the inner city and all the goings on as they continued into the quiet of the suburbs. Houses passed, small and quaint and not at all like the cramped city houses and complexes. It was greener in these parts, sunny and bright. The air was cleaner from what Prompto could smell filtering through his cracked window. Even the people didn’t look nearly as busy body and impatient as those in the inner city could be. These parts were small in comparison to the majority of the city, and mostly the rich lived in them because no one poor could afford to be this far away from the city action, but Prompto could understand why people lived in them. It was far more homely and cozy, just from looks and atmosphere alone. Prompto found himself wondering exactly why Noctis had taken him to the subs. He couldn’t have been planning on moving there, could he? He’d only just gotten his own apartment a year ago, and yeah he could afford to live out in the subs but would the king allow it? How would he get back and forth to school? He’d be late every day. And would he be able to visit Prompto often? The blond couldn’t even entertain the thought of looking at a car with a price tag, let alone actually buying himself some wheels. He wouldn’t be able to visit Noct…

The thoughts trailed away when Prompto realized they were travelling up a small hill. He couldn’t see a particular destination upon the hill, it being void of any sign of human life, and it sent a small shock of worry through him. He blinked owlishly for a moment before turning to Noctis.

“You aren’t…actually gonna drive us off a cliff, are you?”

Noctis only rolled his eyes again in response. He stopped the car on a small pathway on the hill, getting out of the driver’s seat and popping the trunk. Prompto sat there for a moment, wondering exactly what it was Noctis planned on doing. Much to his surprise, Noctis pulled out a blanket and…

One of Prompto’s cameras?

It was the old one that his dad gave him to shut his begging up, as opposed to the newer one Prompto had bought with his saved up part-time job money. But it still worked pretty well, as far as Prompto remembered. He wouldn’t know for sure because he hadn’t touched it in years. Until now. Right now, with Noctis handing the camera to the blond and coaxing him out of the car. Prompto slowly stepped out, still confused and clutching his camera.

“C’mon,” Noctis said. “It’s a bit of a walk.”

It wasn’t so bad of a walk, not with the way Noctis had said it. But it was puzzling. Prompto hadn’t even been aware that a place like this existed inside the city. And he certainly hadn’t been prepared to travel to it, to walk up it, and to end up at the hilltop, watching in wonder as Noctis laid down the blanket before presenting the view.

And that view.

Hoo boy, that view.

Prompto nearly dropped the camera in his hands, only having the good sense to keep it clutched within his fingers because…

He really had to take pictures of this.

Noctis was smiling smugly and crossing his arms, satisfied. “I figured you’d like this.”

_Like it?!_

Prompto couldn’t find the words to describe how much he loved it. That little hill, out of the way and insignificant, overlooked the entire city. _And_ beyond. Prompto could see out over the ocean in every direction, making out the shapes and planes of the larger lands of Lucis. He could even barely make out the Galahdian Islands. The north of the continent was harder to make out, but Leide was clearly visible. And the distant forests of Duscae created a green horizon. It was all so far away, but Prompto didn’t care. This was the first time he’d ever seen these places with his own eyes, not on a school map or television screen. Within the city, surrounded by skyscrapers and cars and technology, the rest of the kingdom was an unknown to anyone who wasn’t a tourist or an immigrant. It existed, but as a fable. As a story of vast nature and gods holding meteors. And speaking of meteors…

Prompto raised his camera, dreamy eyed, as he tried to zoom his old camera in as much as he could on the tiny, almost imperceptible speck that was the meteor. It burned brightly, even in the middle of the day, creating a bright spot on Prompto’s photo. It was a terrible picture: bad lighting, blurry, nothing interesting, mostly ocean, but Prompto would cherish it because it was his first view of the Disc and the object of mythology that lie within it. He’d tuned everything else out as he basked in this moment. The moment Prompto had to leave his routine life below in the city and experience the outside of the wall. Not literally, of course. He’d have no idea how to handle himself in Niflheim infested territory and he doubted he’d ever get the chance to, but it was nice to imagine. When one spent their entire life in a city behind so many walls (nice walls, after all Prompto had no clue how he would’ve grown up in Gralea or wherever he was born), one tended to enjoy even the snippets of the outside they could get.

Prompto wondered if that was what Noctis had liked about this spot when he first found it.

He didn’t bother to ask, however, as he continued taking pictures. Noctis was silent, allowing him to focus on the photography as he immortalized every sight he could see on film. Everything, from the desert to the islands to even the misty distance between Insomnia and the northern lands, was captured on his camera. Even a few shots of the city itself were taken, though it wasn’t quite as magnificent midday as it was at night. Though Prompto might end up catching the city at night time as well, considering how long he spent just snapping away. However long it was…

He only barely noticed Noctis leaving out of the peripheral of his eye, turning to him in question as he lowered his camera. Noctis waved behind himself, shouting out a short ‘back in a sec’ as he continued back in the direction of the car. Eyebrows raised, Prompto watched after him for a second before shrugging and raising his camera again. He looked through the lens, adjusting the focus as he tried to catch another shot of the meteor. It was so ridiculously far away that it might as well have been a spec, but the photographer in Prompto wasn’t going to give up that easily. Besides, who knows, maybe someday he’d get to see it up close, and then he’d get the perfect shot of it.

“Hey.”

Prompto jumped a bit, turning around again to chew Noct out for startling him but stopped himself short. In Noctis’ arms were five boxes with a familiar logo on the tops and sides. This time, Prompto’s eyebrows weren’t raised in question, but in pleasant surprise.

“You ordered pizza _here_?” Prompto asked, laughing incredulously.

“Did you expect any less from me?” Noctis responded with a proud smile. Prompto nudged him playfully, still chuckling.

“Guess I oughta know better,” he snorted. He looked over the boxes, helping Noctis set them down on the blanket and pulling up the tops to see what toppings they had. There were a lot. Of everything. “Dude, are we even gonna be able to finish all this?”

“Probably not. It’s cool, we can just split the rest and take it home.”

Prompto nodded in agreement, knowing full well that he wouldn’t be able to stomach that much. And his parents might appreciate an excuse not to have to cook anything for themselves or find some other way to feed Prompto, so he was sure they wouldn’t react badly to heaps of pizza in their refrigerator. Not that he’d let them throw it out. They were just more pieces to the grand puzzle of the best birthday he’d had in…well, ever.

“Noct?” he asked, his voice quiet to mask any emotion it might have wobbled with.

“Yeah?” Noct’s voice was equally low as he quickly caught on to the atmosphere. Prompto shuffled closer to him, leaning his head against the other’s.

“Thanks. For everything,” he sighed, peeking over at his boyfriend to plant a kiss against his lips. Noctis returned it easily, pressing against him as their mouths moved together. They stayed their exchanging kisses and stealing slices of pizza in between until it got dark enough for the city to light the sky.

Yawning, Prompto stretched his arms before leaning back against Noctis. The prince allowed the tired gesture for a little while longer before straightening up.

“Okay. It’s about time we head back, before we both fall asleep out here.”

Nodding, Prompto stood up, walking over to the pizza boxes to gather them up into semi-neat stacks. Noctis stood as well, frowning at them.

“Shit. Specs’ll probably toss most of this once he catches sight of it,” he groaned. “Think you got room for more? Maybe we can finish some off.”

“Nah, I’m stuffed. Don’t think I could eat another bite!” Prompto laughed. He shrugged then as he handed Noctis his portion.

“Try to hide it, maybe?”

“Have you _met_ Ignis?!”

Okay, Prompto could see where Noct was coming from.

“Maybe offer some to him then?”

“ _Have you met Ignis?!!_ ”

“Alright, I got it!” Prompto griped, mostly amused. “Here. I’ll take your portion home, and you can just come visit me for more leftover pizza.”

“Okay. But we’re microwaving it at my apartment. Your little nuclear reactor is a threat to humanity,” Noctis said. Prompto smacked at him in mock hurt.

“I built that myself!”

“I know.”

Both started grinning at each other as their conversation got louder and more absurd, their tiredness starting to take over. Noctis followed Prompto’s lead and stretched his arms over his head, grunting a bit when his spine cracked.

“Okay. Let’s go before I fall asleep standing up.”

“Knowing you? Yeah, let’s go before you actually do that.”

Noctis snorted, bumping shoulders with Prompto before he started walking. Prompto followed behind, his grin softened into a small smile. This birthday was everything he wanted and then some. For others, it might be considered the most minimalistic gift possible. Especially from a prince. But for Prompto? It was perfection. And he had the proof of it on his camera to hold onto forever. And this thought stayed with him, warming him as he sat in the passenger’s seat of the crownsguard car as Noctis drove him back home. It kept him smiling as he kissed Noctis goodbye and it kept him happy as he walked into his overheated house.

All was quiet as he walked inside, closing and locking the door behind him. His parents were home, judging by the car in the driveway, though they were likely in bed. There wasn’t a sound in the house. Not even a light left on. Although, strangely enough, the blinds had been left open in the kitchen. Shrugging, Prompto figured it was luck on his side that his parents forgot to close them and used the dim light to take the pizza boxes into the kitchen and stick them into the refrigerator. Yawning widely, he closed the fridge door and turned, ready to shower and go to bed. Until something else out of place caught his eye.

Swiveling his head back, Prompto took notice of the cupcake his parents had given him, still sitting on the counter where he left it. Surprisingly, it hadn’t melted in the heat of the house, still sitting pristine and shiny in its spot. Upon closer inspection, Prompto noticed that it had been placed in the middle of the paper and ribbons it had been wrapped in, almost as if on display. In fact, the note that had been on the refrigerator was placed next to it, eraser marks over the place where an ‘8’ used to be and was now replaced with a ‘6’. Huh…they did remember how old he was. And when he picked it up, it was a bit chilled as if it had been placed back in the refrigerator and only just taken back out.

Prompto smiled to himself as he held the cupcake, silently sending a thanks to his parents who were probably asleep by now. His other hand patted absently over his tight-feeling stomach.

Maybe he had room for one more thing.

**Author's Note:**

> I would like to mention that I’m aware of the Engine Blade’s weapon story in NieR, but unless it’s backed up in the FFXV Universe proper, I’m going to consider it non-canon.


End file.
